


Small Victories

by Morgana



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-31
Updated: 2013-05-31
Packaged: 2017-12-13 13:15:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morgana/pseuds/Morgana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes you take the wins where you can find them</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small Victories

Raised voices from upstairs pulled him out of his restless, drugged stupor, but there was no time to try and figure out what the commotion was about. Before he was even fully awake, he heard the basement door slam, rattling the kitchen windows, but more concerning was the way the stairs groaned under every stomp as the storm descended into his area.  
  
Spike forced his eyes open and gave the small blonde hurricane a weak smile. "Trouble in paradise, luv?"  
  
"I'd need to find paradise for that first," she scoffed. "Can you believe them? After everything that's happened, now they wanna say it's 'not safe' for you to be here?"  
  
"Might have a point - not exactly the best bloke to leave in a houseful of potentials, especially after -"   
  
"Don't." Buffy shook her head, not willing to let him even start down that road. "I'm not gonna fight you about this, too. If Xander doesn't understand by now that you could've killed me about a hundred times or two last year, then that's his problem, not mine, and you know it. And that thing about you going after the potentials is just... well, it's a bunch of... bullocks!"  
  
Spike bit the inside of his cheek to try and keep from smiling. "Bollocks, luv. It's a bunch of bollocks," he corrected.  
  
"That too." She sighed and walked over to sit down on the cot by his hip. "I don't get why they can't just leave me alone."  
  
He wanted nothing more at that point that to reach up and wrap his arms around her, but his ribs were aching too badly to do more than take her hand and give in a gentle squeeze. "They're your friends, pet. Only want what's best for you, yeah?"  
  
Buffy looked down at his hand, turning hers so that their fingers interlaced. "I know," she muttered. "But I'm getting tired of them thinking they get to dictate my life. I mean, I've gotta start being the one to make the decisions sometime, don't I?"  
  
It was the exact point that he'd spent almost a year and a half trying to get through to her, and if he hadn't been beaten to the dusting point and back again, Spike thought he might well have jumped up and done a jig. He'd known that eventually those friends of hers would go too far - even the Slayer had a limit to what she'd tolerate, after all. He'd just never expected her to hit that limit over him. Maybe in his fantasies, but not really. Her sister, sure, and maybe Angel, but never him.  
  
A very large part of him wanted to gloat over this victory, but the newly acquired soul wasn't having it. Stupid do-gooder William, not willing to let him bask in the moment. He contented himself with tugging on her hand, urging her down onto the cot with him, then turned his head to kiss her temple. "Whatever you want, pet. 'S your call an' I'll go with it, you know that," he told her.  
  
"My call," she repeated, nestling against his shoulder. He could hear the heaviness in her voice, the weary strain of caring for a household of frightened girls and a recently injured vampire, and he promised himself that as soon as this apocalypse was over, he was taking her and Dawn on holiday, even if he had to go beg Angel for the money to do it. They needed a break, all of them, and Spike was going to see that they got it.  
  
The faint wash of warm air over his throat pulled him out of his thoughts, and he glanced down to see her fast asleep, peaceful and relaxed in a way he'd never imaged she'd be around him again. He'd tell her about the vacation once it was over, Spike decided. For now, she needed rest, and he wasn't about to disturb her. Closing his eyes, he let the warmth inside and the Slayer's heartbeat outside lull him back into sleep that was far less fitful than the one he'd been woken up from.


End file.
